Author's Note: gah Sorry it took so long for this. I started the chapter much like it starts now, but soon after the opening, I cut to a drawn-out scene that took me days to write. After finishing most of it, I decided it was too much too soon -- it became chapter eight (which should be up soon). It took me a fair bit of time to get what I wanted said in this, but voila, here you are. Sorry, again.

7. Reality

They all came.

All of them.

From all over Europe, they came in droves to pay their last respects to Harry Potter. He lied in state for twenty-four hours in the Great Hall at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and they mourned their most famous loss since Albus Dumbledore.

"I should have been there," Neville muttered.

"I'm rather glad you weren't."

He frowned at his wife as they stood, sipping dry wine in a corner of the reception hall. The body had been taken to a remote cemetery in Godric's Hollow where he was buried with his parents. Precautions had been set up, shielding the ceremony from unwanted photographers and reporters, making the funeral fairly small for a celebrity – primarily family and close friends – and rather quiet.

"Look at these people. I haven't seen some of these faces since Hogwarts."

"Most of your year and mine are here, and others, of course."

"Is that Oliver Wood? I thought he was keeper for Appleby."

"He's a trainer in Montrose, now. Has been for two seasons after a bludger nearly took his arm. He had a family to think about. He'd been playing for the Magpies for eight years."

Neville shook his head, somewhat baffled by it all. The healers couldn't explain his situation in any detail, which left him behind and at a loss. He hadn't 'blacked out' or 'lapsed' – as everyone termed it – in over two days. Those at St. Mungo's insisted he stay with them as they tested him and whatnot, trying to sort out his condition now that he was aware of the times almost continually. (With Harry gone, the hospital wasn't listening to anyone but themselves and the Ministry, and they 'needed' to keep him.) A lot of good it did. All in all, at the end of four days, nothing had changed the fact that a particularly thick black fog engulfed the majority of his life between ages 28 and 42.

"Mr. Longbo'om," a greasy haired fellow some years older bowed.

"I'm sorry ..."

"No, I shouldn't think you'd be rememb'ring me. Take no mind."

"You're the bloke from the Knight Bus, right?"

Luna looked at her husband oddly.

"Yes, 'at is cor-rect."

Noticing his wife's expression, he gestured toward the man and explained, "Years ago, when we'd first started at the Minstry, Harry and Ron had confiscated the Knight Bus during a raid. Er, um ... Wanting to show some friends at home, a couple Muggleborns, upon graduation, stole it during Coventry Fortnight and had crashed it into a Muggle residence in Bedworth, apparated, then hid it in their parents garage which they'd charmed to expand to hold it." Neville chuckled. "That was a wild ni ... Stan! That's your name, innit? How'd I remember any of that, it's been ages?"

Luna turned her eyes to the attendant who smiled in concession.

"Ages ago, yes ... I just wanted to give my regards."

"Oh, thank you." Neville shook his hand, and Stan bowed one more before leaving. "He and Harry must have kept in touch or something," Neville noted when he'd left.

"Must have," she nodded, knowing full well of Harry's daily ride on the Knight Bus, as well as her own with Harry every Christmas to bring Neville home for two days.

"You know, I think that was just before Ewan was born."

"I'm sorry?" Luna asked, not really paying attention.

"Ron and I considered getting Asher and Gregory, but decided they were still a little too young."

"Do you know when this was taken?" Luna inquired, directing him to a large poster-sized photograph of Harry smiling crookedly and pushing up his glasses.

"Er ... looks like ..." Neville studied it for a second. "We had to have still been in school."

"Are they too much?" a voice queried from behind them.

They turned and Ginny was watching the poster.

"Oh, Ginny," Neville stepped to her and hugged her.

"The pictures. Did they overdo it?" she went on when they disengaged.

"I think it's a nice memorial," he told her, looking around at all the pictures and objects from Harry's life.

"I'm afraid they seem a little out of place."

"It's a funeral reception, Ginny, everything is out of place," a fourth voice chimed in.

"Where's Evelyn? I didn't think you'd leave her side," Ginny smiled.

"Ah, she's a grown woman. She can handle herself, can't she?" Hermione offered.

"She told you to bugger off, didn't she?" Ginny asked.

"In so many words," Hermione conceded.

Neville had begun to let his eyes wander about the room, taking in more faces, some he didn't know, others he knew quite well. A shorter fellow approached him and nudged his arm.

"Hi ho, Neville," he greeted.

"Seamus?"

"One in the same. Me and the missus were getting ready to leave and I saw you over here and thought I should stop over."

"I'm glad you did."

"Lavendar, my wife ..."

"That's right, I'd almost forgotten. How long have you been married, now?"

"Nearly 18 years, Lav and I. But we was just talking with Dean and he was saying ..."

The Irishman's voice trailed off as Neville began to think.

"Neville, wait!"

He didn't stop or turn around but called back, "Could we just leave it for awhile?"

"No, I need to make sure you understand where I'm coming from."

"I understand just fine."

"Are you sure Dean's alright, then?"

"Neville?" Seamus said, looking at him carefully.

"Uh, yeah, excuse me, Seamus, I'm really sorry," Neville mumbled, his head beginning to hurt, he held up an hand in the midst of Ginny, Luna and Hermione. "Where's Ron?"

The conversation stopped immediately.

Tersely, Hermione answered, "He couldn't make it, Neville."

"Oh," the man mumbled, furrowing his brow. His head felt like it was spinning for a moment and he thought he might fall. He could hear voices but they were muffled and indistinct. Hands grabbed his arms and cupped his face and he shook his head, forcing his eyes to focus.

Luna pushed him into a chair.

"Neville, look at me," she demanded, kneeling in front of him.

"I'm fine," he began.

"Drink up," Ginny said, pulling a small flask from her handbag and handing it to him.

"It's noth ..."

"Drink it."

He did and he felt a cooling sensation, but his head cleared almost instantly.

"Nev ..." Luna started.

"It was nothing, Luna," he insisted. "It was just a dizzy spell; I'm alright."

Hermione appeared and handed him a glass of water.

"Thank you," he said, sipping the water.

Luna stood and spoke to Hermione in hushed tones.

"It's alright, really. It's just today, you know?" he heard Hermione say.

"So ..." Ginny began, obviously trying to distract Neville from the other women. "When do you get to go home, do you know?"

"They've not said, but I don't see any reason for me to stay," he answered.

"Yes, Luna said you were getting better."

"'Getting' is about right: I'm not there yet."

"That's better than nothing."

"Ginny," Neville said, suddenly and she raised her eyebrows, waiting for him to continue. "Thank you."

She seemed surprised, "For what?"

"I may not remember it, but I understand how much time Harry spent with me. I can't really thank him properly, so I'm thanking you."

The red-head nodded and patted his hand.

"Thank you, Neville."

Luna turned back to her husband and said, "I think it's about time we took you back."

"Okay," he agreed, somewhat hesitantly, and stood. Ginny and Hermione hugged them in turn before they started for the door. Just as they were about to exit, someone caught Neville's attention. Dark, brown eyes met his from across the room and he paused, frowning a little and the face turned quickly.

They brought their coffees to the table and sat down.

"I was sure surprised to see you the other night, I'm telling you."

"Yeah, I surprise myself sometimes. Then again, I don't often work with other departments. I wish our reunion had been under better circumstances," Neville told him. "I'm really sorry about your partner."

"It was a shame he was so young, but this is what they train us for."

Nodding, Neville stirred his coffee absently.

"I'm glad to know you're around though. You were the only one from our dormitory that I hadn't heard about in a few years. We'll have to get together for drinks or something and catch up."

"Come on, baby," Luna urged, drawing his attention back to the present, and he followed her.